KUCHING: The Sarawak–China academic ties received a further boost after Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) received a RM40,000 China Ambassador Scholarship during a ceremony at The Gallery, DeTAR Putra, on Monday (Nov 24).
The scholarship was presented by Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Ouyang Yujing, as part of China’s ongoing commitment to support higher education development and student exchange opportunities between both countries.
UNIMAS Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit said the development strengthened educational diplomacy and deepened academic ties shaped by the university’s decade-long collaboration with Chinese institutions.
“Our cooperation with China has contributed not only to academic and research excellence but also in strengthening, understanding, building partnership and peace between nations.
“In a world facing complex global challenges, education and the exchange of knowledge remain fundamental to harmony and shared progress,” he said.
As part of his visit, Ouyang delivered a special lecture titled “A Community with a Shared Future: A Path Toward Common Progress”, which emphasised global unity, shared development and the need to reinforce Malaysia–China strategic cooperation.
The university currently maintains more than 30 active collaborations with China, including the establishment of UNIMAS Learning Centres in Xi’an and Qilu, which function as strategic hubs for research and academic engagement.
The ceremony also featured a tree-planting session on campus, symbolising growth, continuity and the long-term commitment between UNIMAS and the People’s Republic of China.
